Enter Joanna
by needtowrite
Summary: The same Primeval story, with extra scenes, more exploration of characters, and a completely new character of mine. Enjoy!
1. First Encounters

**This started out as a sort of character exercise, but now it's turning into a story of its own. Same Primeval storylines, but with a new character, hopefully every episode from the beginning, in order, but we'll see how it goes.**

**Chapter 1**

**First Encounters**

**Enter some new characters…**

Nick Cutter ran after the creature, followed by the others. But where it went astounded all of them. It hung in midair, glittering slightly, like shards of a window frozen in space just after being smashed. The light reflected off it, so that it looked like individual sunbeams had been caught in the glass. The team stopped, staring at it in awe, hardly daring to believe their eyes.

"Where did it go?" Claudia whispered, not taking her eyes of the mystery that hung in front of her.

"Home." Nick answered simply.

Suddenly, a loud shrieking filled the clearing, and everyone ducked, looking for the source of the noise. A figure, indistinct in the dark, leapt through the anomaly, followed by another figure. The team drew back as the two figures faced each other, ignorant of their presence.

They were both girls. One had long, straight black hair tied back, the other had short, brown, slightly wavy hair that hung loose to her shoulders. They were staring at each other, the brown-haired one in hatred, the black-haired one in sadness, and perhaps confusion, thought Stephen, shifting slightly so that he could see the two girls better, whilst being completely obscured himself.

"What have you done?" The black-haired one asked despairingly.

"You drove us to it," the other girl snarled. "Your family gave us no choice. What could we do? Sit back and watch you destroy everything? We had to act. We are at the edge of a cliff, _Joanna_, and it's not my fault if you don't like what you see at the bottom."

"We were doing fine until you ripped everything apart, _Maria_. Don't you dare try to turn this round onto me!"

The team watched the two girls, becoming increasingly concerned. Who were these girls? What were they talking about? Most importantly, Cutter thought, what did they know about the creatures?

Claudia stepped forward suddenly, intending to intervene. At the sound of her footsteps, both girls spun around, startled, argument forgotten.

"Wait!" They both shouted, holding their hands out in front of them. The brown haired girl, Maria, glared at Joanna, then, without warning, leapt at her. Joanna heard the movement and dodged, Maria falling to the ground. Before Joanna could move again, Maria desperately pulled her down by her legs, and the two girls struggled on the ground, each trying to gain the upper hand.

Cutter and Stephen both started running forward at the same time, but before they reached the fight, the frenzy of movement stopped. Joanna had ended up on top, Maria pinned down underneath her.

"This isn't helping!" Joanna hissed, unaware of Cutter and Stephen slowly creeping forwards. "Fighting won't help anyone, it just makes everything worse. You should know that by now." Maria writhed helplessly, but Joanna had her at her mercy.

Suddenly, Cutter and Stephen leapt forwards, grabbing Joanna and hauling her off Maria. Maria sprang up, a triumphant grin on her face, and started to walk slowly backwards, towards the glittering thing. Joanna struggled in Stephen's arms. "No!" she screamed. Cutter, realising they may have made a mistake, tried to grab Maria, but it was too late. Waving goodbye cheerfully, she slipped back through what Cutter was now certain was a gateway to the past.

Stephen let go of Joanna, who fell and began to beat the ground with her fists. Feeling hopelessly out of their depth, the team looked bemusedly at each other. Abby knelt down beside her and touched her arm gently. She span around and stood up, looking scared, and backed slowly towards the anomaly.

Stephen motioned for the others to stay back, and then crouched down slightly, so that he was lower down than her. Avoiding eye-contact, he acted as he would with a frightened animal. It worked. Joanna stopped backing away and looked at him cautiously.

Stephen held out his hands, to show that he meant no harm, and crept forward, step by step, very slowly, all the time speaking softly, "You're all right. I won't hurt you. Its ok.", over and over, repeating himself, trying to reassure her. When Joanna edged backwards, he stopped, then when she stood still again, he stepped towards her once more, always avoiding her eyes, always keeping lower than her, so that she wouldn't feel threatened.

When he was about 3 feet away, he stopped and straightened up, still avoiding Joanna's eyes. He waited for her to speak first.

"Who are you?" Joanna asked, her voice quiet and shaky from fear. She tried again. "Who are you?" she asked more strongly.

Stephen spoke softly, still worried she might spook and run. "My name is Stephen Hart. I'm here because of this." he gestured towards the glittering thing.

Joanna smiled, her eyes still fixed on Stephen. "I know you are. Everyone is. I was … delayed." She edged backwards, like a crab, still keeping an eye on Stephen in case he moved. He stepped back, giving her some space. Putting her hands at the edge of the shards, she nodded.

"Three creatures have come through, one carnivore and two herbivores. One herbivore has returned. Do you know where the others are?" she asked Stephen. Before he could answer, Abby stepped forwards, holding Rex tightly in her arms.

Joanna nodded. "He must go back. This is not where he belongs." Abby nodded reluctantly, not wanting to let Rex go.

Suddenly, Joanna's head snapped round, and she shifted, ready to run. Stephen looked around sharply, trying to spot the threat. In the distance, he could here the roar of an engine, growing louder as it came closer. Then, a black 4x4 burst through the trees. It stopped, and military-looking men climbed out.

Joanna looked terrified. "You brought them here!" she shouted at Stephen.

"No…" he tried to say, but Claudia cut him off.

"I did. This could be a threat to national security. We can't risk hordes of creatures coming through. Who knows what damage they could cause." She said, avoiding Joanna's eyes.

Joanna looked desperate. "I could have handled this! I would have done! It's my job!" She looked at the soldiers, advancing towards her, and she lost her nerve. "I have to go." She said.

"Joanna…" Stephen said, and Joanna looked at him.

Smiling sadly, she said, "Call me Jo."

Then she was off, darting through the trees. The soldiers went to follow her, but stopped at a command from Claudia. "Let her go."

Cutter and Stephen stared after her, Cutter frustrated at the loss of possible knowledge, Stephen just wondering…

**Hope you like it! Should have more up pretty soon, but review if you want more, or want certain events, and I'll see what I can do. Review please!**


	2. Stephen Finds A New Friend

**Disclaimer: I don't own Primeval. If I did, Helen would have died a lot sooner.**

**Chapter 2**

**Stephen Finds A New Friend**

What happened after Stephen was attacked by the Gorgonopsid…

Stephen ran down the school corridor, glancing behind him to check on the Gorgonopsid. It was gaining ground, each huge stride bringing it closer to its prey. Reaching the door, Stephen pushed down the lever. The door wouldn't open. He shook it desperately, then, realising it was hopeless, turned to face the monster.

But he hadn't given up yet. Grabbing a fire extinguisher that was on the wall, he blasted it straight into the creature's face, making it stop as it reconsidered.

Then it jumped straight at Stephen, crashing open the doors and sending Stephen flying, rolling over on the grass. He landed on his stomach, unconscious.

Jo suddenly appeared from the trees, running towards the pair, yelling and screaming at the beast. It left Stephen and ran towards her, saliva now dripping from its mouth and down its huge teeth. Changing direction, she led it into the trees and away from Stephen.

But Jo had a plan. Nimbly climbing a strong, thick, ancient tree, she hid in its branches, holding her breath, hoping the Gorgonopsid would pass her by.

The plan worked. The creature ran straight past her, its senses blinded by bloodlust, smashing its way through the forest. Back towards the anomaly.

Jo waited until she could no longer hear it, then swung confidently back to the ground. Pausing to look in the direction it had gone, she ran back to where Stephen lay.

Rolling him over onto his back, she started to slap his cheeks gently, calling "Stephen Hart" over and over again. Eventually, his eyes flickered open, and he squinted at her silhouette against the sky. Groaning, he sat up, Jo supporting him, looking concerned.

He looked at her, confused. "Where did you come from?" He said, rubbing the back of his head.

Jo looked startled suddenly, then the enormity of what she had done dawned on her, and she stood up, stepping away from Stephen. She had helped him! He knew about the anomalies, and she had saved his life! She had only made the situation worse!

Stephen looked up at Jo. She seemed agitated, pacing back and forth and muttering under her breath. He struggled to stand alone, Jo too distracted to notice his difficulty. Using the wall as support, he walked slowly over to her and put his hand on her shoulder.

"Are you alright?" he asked. Jo looked at him with panicked eyes.

"I shouldn't have helped you. You're not supposed to know. I don't know what to do. Everyone's gone. Just me now." Jo took a deep, shuddering breath. "Just me now." She repeated.

Stephen looked confused. What was she talking about? Sliding his back down the wall, he pulled Jo unresistingly down with him, so that they were sitting side-by-side, against the wall of the school.

Trying to concentrate through his throbbing headache, he asked, "What's wrong?".

Jo looked straight ahead, tears in her eyes. "There was a war," she began hesitantly. "A war that pitted brother against sister, friend against friend, and tore our world apart. Some people felt that the anomalies should be used for profit, selling things from the future to the past, bringing extinct animals back, dinosaurs, dodos, smilodon. We disagreed. We thought that it would rip time and space to shreds, destroy the world. We couldn't agree, or even agree to disagree.

"No one really won. In the end, our people were scattered across the globe, scattered through time. Now, we're mostly nomads, travelling through the anomalies, helping anything that goes through to get back, hiding them from Humans." She laughed bitterly. "Not that its working."

Stephen glanced up sharply, then regretted it, putting his hand back up to his head. "You're not human?" he managed to ask.

Jo hesitated, then shrugged. "I suppose I can't do any more harm than I already have," she said, almost to herself. She stood up, and stepped away from the wall, turning to face Stephen.

Stephen gasped. Slowly unfurling behind Jo were wings, huge, black, beautiful. As they straightened out, she grinned, then turned and began to run away from Stephen, wings rowing behind her for extra speed.

"Hey!" He shouted, pain forgotten, and ran after her. "Stop! Come back!"

Then Jo leapt into the air, and stayed there. Whooping, she climbed steadily until she was just a speck in the sky. Stephen squinted, trying not to lose sight of her. Then, the speck got bigger, plummeting down towards the ground, becoming clearer every second. Stephen gasped, barely believing his eyes.

Jo waited until the last second, then snapped open her wings and, grazing the ground with her toes, lightly skipped back to Stephen, her wings still half unfurled.

Head lowered, she stood in front of a speechless Stephen, waiting. Eventually she raised her head.

"Say something," she begged, not daring to look directly at him. Still awestruck, Stephen reached forward.

"May I?" he asked. Jo turned round, her back to him, and opened her wings to their full extent again.

Hardly breathing, he reached out and lightly touched Jo's wings, which protruded through great rips in the back of her shirt. She shivered. He drew back, then stroked her wings more firmly with his fingertips, admiring the way the light shimmered off the feathers. They were soft, but with hard muscle and bone underneath, giving them a sleek and powerful look.

Finally taking his hand away, Stephen waited for Jo to turn back round, then lifted her chin, making her look at him. She looked nervous, ready to run again.

"They're beautiful," he said sincerely. Hope bloomed across Jo's face.

"Really?" she breathed, barely daring to believe it.

"Yes."

A smile lit up Jo's face, and she threw herself at Stephen, burying her nose in his shoulder. He staggered under the unexpected burden, but recovered, and returned the embrace.

Eventually, Jo drew back, and said, smiling, "We should find your friends."

**Hope you liked it! Review if you want more. Or if you don't. Just so I know. But I hope you want more.**


	3. Explanations

**Disclaimer: Still don't own Primeval.**

**Chapter 3**

**Explanations**

In which Jo's secret is revealed…

The creature stalked slowly towards Cutter and Claudia, lying helplessly on the ground. Everywhere was panic, even the soldiers, running, wanting nothing but to escape the forest, spraying bullets randomly in the direction of the creature as Captain Ryan shouted, desperately trying to regain some order to his men.

Suddenly, an insistent horn blared through the trees. The Gorgonopsid snapped its head round to challenge this new threat.

Stephen raced the 4x4 through the trees, relying on his instincts to avoid the trees in the dark, his determined gaze locked on the beast as it raced towards him. Beside him, Jo closed her eyes as the creature neared.

The impact jarred Stephen's whole body, crashing both of them into the dashboard, and crumpling the front of the car. The Gorgonopsid rebounded off the car, flying through the air and landing on its side, eyes closed.

Stephen and Jo got out of the car, Jo more shakily, and looked at the still body of the Gorgonopsid in front of them. Stephen glanced at Jo, making sure she was alright, then began to walk towards where Cutter and Claudia still crouched on the ground. Jo walked around the motionless beast to stand at Stephen's side.

The Gorgonopsid's eye flicked open.

Cutter shouted a warning as it rose behind Stephen and Jo. Jo panicked, leaping ten foot into the air with her wings extended, and catching hold of a tree. Grabbing the gun Cutter threw towards him, Stephen knelt, spraying bullets at the creature.

The beast faltered as the bullets penetrated its hard, thick skin, then fell to the ground once more, roaring in pain. Jo stood by helplessly as it tried to stand, shuddering, roaring faintly, before crashing back to the ground.

Stephen and Cutter shared looks of relief as Jo flew down from the tree and ran to the creature's side. Stephen dropped the gun and followed her. Kneeling beside her and the creature, he put his arm around her, once again feeling the thrill of touching her wings, warm from exertion.

"Are you alright?" he gasped, partly in shock.

Tears rolled down her face as she nodded. "It shouldn't have died," she said simply.

Stephen looked anxious, ready but reluctant to defend his actions, when she smiled sadly at him.

"I understand why you had to do it," she explained, wiping her face with a dirty hand. "He just didn't deserve to die so far away from home."

Patting her on the shoulder, Stephen stood up, aware that the rest of the team were beginning to gather around him and Jo. He sighed. This was going to be difficult…

"So, you're, like, an alien? A real, proper alien?" Connor enthused as they rode back to the Home Office in the cars that hadn't been damaged in the Gorgonopsid attack.

Jo sighed, more relaxed than she would normally have been in this situation, Stephen's reassuring hand on her knee as he smiled out of the window, watching the trees of the Forest of Dean being replaced by the concrete and brick of housing estates and motorways.

"No," she said patiently, "I was born on Earth. That makes me an indigenous species. Just like Humans. However many times you ask, I will still not suddenly sprout antennae and confess to being a Martian."

In the front seat, Cutter shared a smile with Abby. Connor looked confused. "Well, obviously!" he said. Jo looked relieved, the endless, repetitive questions seeming to be over for the moment.

"Everyone knows Martians don't have antennae," he continued, ignoring groans of protest. "They've got sort of funny-looking ears, but that's all. The antennae thing is a government invention, so we don't recognise them." He finished triumphantly, smiling at Jo.

Jo groaned and leaned back, resting her head. "I give up," she muttered. Cutter and Stephen chuckled.

"So," Cutter began, "how do you know about the anomalies?"

Jo answered, "I was kind of brought up into it, really. It's a species thing. Our job. We travel through time, using the anomalies, and guard them along the way. We used to go around in groups a lot, cos it got lonely, but when you were twenty years old, you could go on your own, Most people didn't choose to, though.

"We were peaceful, most of the time. And there were rules. You couldn't deliberately change time, or use the anomalies for your own advantage. It all had to be for the good of the creatures. I'm only sixteen, so I hardly know any of the anomaly theory. You'd start theory at eighteen, when you'd stop practical for those last two years. Mostly, we'd just try to keep the anomalies out of the humans' way, keep the secret. I mean, could you imagine what would happen if the media got their hands on one? Nightmare."

"And then there was the war," Stephen guessed.

Jo stiffened. "Yes." She replied, not wanting to say any more.

Stephen nodded, and put his arm around Jo's shoulder, feeling once again the hard ridges under her top that were her wings. Jo leaned against him, closing her eyes, and Stephen tightened his grip.

They sat like this for the rest of the journey to London, Jo asleep on Stephen's chest, mumbling in her sleep every so often. Every time she did so, Stephen would look at her face to check she was still asleep, and rub her shoulder, the only comfort he could give.

**So, introductions are done, i wonder what will happen next? I live off reviews, good or bad!**


	4. Persuading Lester

**Disclaimer: Again, I don't own Primeval, and unfortunately, probably never will.**

**Chapter 4**

**Persuading Lester**

What it says on the tin…

"Believed me, its very, very far from over." Cutter finished, glaring at the civil servant who had dismissed the anomalies so quickly.

Cutter marched out of the room, but Lester called him back. Reluctant to answer to the man, but aware that Jo needed him, he turned round, knowing what was coming.

"This Jo person," Lester began. Cutter waited. "You're certain that she isn't a threat?" he asked, looking between Cutter and Claudia.

Cutter stepped forward. "She is an asset. She's been dealing with the anomalies for most her life, she could teach us how to manage them. Part of her is an independent person, knowing that she has to protect these things at all costs, but another part of her is just a frightened little girl, missing her family and wanting to world to be fair like it is in stories. She needs us as much as we need her."

Lester thought for a moment, then nodded. "Fine. She'll have to have some tests, of course; she's a brand new species, and you lot will have to take care of her…" He waited, and Cutter nodded impatiently. "But, as long as she is useful to this project, she can stay."

Cutter nodded his thanks, then walked out of the office towards where the team was waiting for him. Walking between Cutter and Stephen, Jo asked nervously, "Can I stay?" Cutter smiled down at her, and nodded.

"But we have to find you somewhere to stay," he warned Jo, who was skipping happily between the two men.

"She can stay with me." Stephen said suddenly. Cutter raised his eyebrows in surprise. "That's if you want to, Jo?" he asked, less confident.

Jo tipped her head to one side. "Are you sure?" she asked doubtfully, wary of being let down. Stephen nodded.

"Only if you want to." He said.

Jo smiled gratefully at him, the light of joy shining in her eyes once more. "Thank you," she said.

**Bit short and dull, sorry, but I thought it was necessary for the story to work. Also, I wanted some grumpy Lester in there! Next one will be more interesting, promise! Please review!**


	5. Nightmares

**Disclaimer: No, I haven't suddenly gained ownership of Primeval overnight. What a shame.**

**Chapter 5**

**Nightmares**

Similarities are discovered…

Stephen's eyes snapped open. He looked round at the room, panicked, then slumped back into the pillows. Just a dream. They didn't come so often now, but just as he began to think he was free at last, there she was. Helen. In his head.

This time, she had run into an anomaly. He had tried to follow her, but it had closed, and he had run straight into the face of a snarling Gorgonopsid.

Stephen shuddered as he remembered the beast, and tears fell from his face as he succumbed once more to the grief that he had felt when she had first disappeared, eight years ago.

Suddenly, a scream jolted him out of the pain. He wondered who it could be, then remembered Jo, who he had left on the sofa, curled up under the spare duvet.

Stephen debated for a moment whether he should just leave her, but he dismissed the thought and got out of bed, groaning as he looked at the clock. 2am. Great, he thought as he shuffled through his apartment, feeling his way along the walls.

His feet tingled from the cold, and he regretted leaving his slippers by the bed. Too late now, he thought, as he reached the open-plan living area. Switching on the table lamp by the sofa, he saw Jo.

Her face was drenched in sweat, and she writhed and turned on the white leather sofa in her sleep. Stephen reached out, intending to wake her from whatever hell she was in, but as he did so, she twisted more violently, and fell off the sofa, onto the hard laminate floor, jerking awake.

Stephen knelt beside her as she panted, recovering from the nightmare. "Hey," he murmured. She fixed her eyes on his, grasping at the reassurance they seemed to offer, as someone who was falling would hold onto a rope. Whimpering, she grabbed his arms, and he guided her back onto the sofa, watching her anxiously.

"Do you want to talk about it?" he asked, as Cutter had asked him all those years ago. She shook her head mutely, as he had done.

"D-don't leave me," she managed, as he lay down on the sofa, positioning her next to him, against the back, so that she wouldn't fall again. Laying her head on his chest, she fell back to sleep, the shivering and mumbling dying down gradually. Resigning himself to a long night, yet grateful of the company, he reached behind him to switch the light off, then snagged the duvet from the floor and draped it over the pair of them, falling into a dreamless sleep almost immediately.

**There. What could be more interesting than nightmares? Oh, yeah, the creatures. Whoops.**


	6. As He Lay Dying

**Disclaimer: I. Don't. Own. Primeval.**

**Chapter 6**

**As He Lay Dying…**

When Stephen gets bitten, how did he survive…

"Who did this to him?" the doctor asked as Stephen was rushed into the ward, oxygen mask already on.

"Not who, what," muttered Abby. The doctor looked at her, waiting for an explanation.

"It was a centipede," she said.

"What kind of centipede?" asked the doctor.

"It's hard to explain," Abby said, frustrated.

"If we don't find out exactly what bit him, he will die." The doctor warned.

"Ok, tell me what you need to find a cure and I'll get you all the information I can," said Abby, focussing on the job in hand.

"There are no obvious treatments; people just don't die of centipede bites," explained the doctor. "But if we can a get hold of a good sample of the venom, we might be able to find an anti-venom that matches it."

"Will that make him better?"

"Anti-venoms are a last resort, toxic in their own right," the doctor replied, taking off Stephen's oxygen mask. Jo rushed to Stephen's side, holding his arm. "The survival rate can be as low as 50%, but without it, his chances are nil.

"Just keep him alive." Abby demanded as she ran out of the room. Beside Stephen, Jo hesitated, then lowered her hands so that they were in contact with Stephen's skin. Closing her eyes, she began to push with her mind.

The doctor, seeing her, shook her head, but left her undisturbed. She knew that this man would probably die like the last one, slowly and in pain, but she didn't want to break the news to the fragile-looking teenager who seemed to be praying for his survival. Maybe miracles do happen, she thought, but then shook her head. She had seen enough death to know that if God was out there, he didn't answer prayers.

**Really short, sorry, but, once again, needed for the story. The next one is better. Promise.**


	7. As He Lay Living

**Disclaimer: I promise you, I don't own Primeval.**

**Chapter 8**

**As He Lay Living…**

Stephen survived. But at what cost…

Stephen lay peacefully in the hospital bed, the spasms passed. Beside him, Abby sat smiling, while Jo leaned against her, ripping the wrapper away from an energy bar.

"He's gonna be ok?" Jo asked again, mouth full.

Abby smiled down at her. "He'll be fine," she confirmed. "Will there be any side-effects from your healing thing?"

Jo chuckled. "It wasn't really healing. Just stopping the poison from travelling round his body as fast, slowing it down, keeping him alive for longer. But there's nothing, apart from the energy deficiency…and…there is one small thing…"

Abby frowned, concerned. "What?"

Jo looked embarrassed. "We can…talk in our heads?"

Abby sat up, dislodging Jo. "Like, mind reading?" she asked, incredulous.

"Yep. It was a mental link, the 'healing', and you can't stop one of those. It's just like a sort of…mental radio." Jo smiled at Abby, who laughed.

"I suppose I should expect weird things on this job," she said.

"Yep."

Connor came in anxiously, the two girls still smiling.

"How is he?" he asked.

"The convulsions have stopped. That's something," Abby replied.

Connor nodded. "You really like him, don't you?" he asked.

Jo slipped quietly out of the room, sensing a private conversation. It doesn't matter, she thought. Abby will tell me everything later anyway.

**Bit short, I know. This one was basically an explanation. The next one is better, and the one after that is the best yet. Promise. If you got this far, well done. Have a cyber cookie on me. Have another one if you review! Please!**


	8. Girl Trouble

**Disclaimer: Still no owning here.**

**Chapter 8**

**Girl Trouble**

Stephen lounged in the hospital bed, reading, as Claudia walking towards him, her shoes clicking on the tiles.

"Hi."

"Hi."

"How are you feeling?" she asked.

Stephen considered. "Like I gargled sand and slept inside a tumble dryer," he decided. Beside him, Jo snorted, then looked innocent when Stephen looked at her.

"So," Claudia said seriously. "Tell me about Helen."

Stephen looked confused. "What about Helen?"

"You saw her."

"I saw her?" Stephen repeated, disbelievingly. "When?"

"In the tunnel. That's what you said."

Stephen shrugged. "I…I was gone, you know, don't remember anything."

"Now you're back," Jo said, looking up briefly from her Sudoku book. Stephen smiled at her, then looked back at Claudia.

"I was probably just seeing things," Stephen finished.

Claudia looked doubtful, but dismissed it. "Yeah, probably," she said, walking out.

Stephen looked at Abby, standing in the doorway. "What was all that about?" he asked.

Abby walked into the room, and sat down next to Stephen's bed. "You really can't remember a thing after you were bitten?" Stephen shook his head. "None of the things you said in the ambulance?" Abby hinted.

"What did I say?" Stephen asked, mystified.

"Oh, just stuff," Abby shrugged it off. "Just thought some of it might have stuck, that's all."

"Was it important?" Stephen pressed.

"Nah, nah, not really."

Stephen nodded, turning back to his book, then looked at Abby. "Thanks for looking after me, Abby." He said seriously. "And you too, Jo," he added as Jo opened her mouth. She smiled at him cheekily. As Abby walked out of the room, Jo looked thoughtful.

"What?" Stephen asked, noticing her expression.

"It was important." Jo decided firmly.

Stephen's face creased up as he considered. "Do you think so?" he asked doubtfully.

Jo snorted and looked affectionately at the man she trusted with her life. "Y'know, for a guy who tracks animals and reads body language for a living, you can be really dense. She looked disappointed and awkward, like she didn't think you would still think the same way, now you're not dying."

Stephen leaned forwards, worried. "Think about what in the same way?"

Jo laughed, but said nothing, staring straight-faced at her Sudoku book. Stephen leaned across and prodded her, hard, in the side. She squealed, and returned the gesture. The pair began a poke-fight, laughing and dodging each other, until the nurse came in to send Jo out.

**Ok, another short one, but a bit more fun. And the next one is longer, so really it was a big plan to make you want it more. Honest... Reviews would be really helpful to me!**


	9. Cover Story

**Disclaimer: Me no own Primeval.**

**Chapter 9**

**Cover Story**

Alison knocked on Stephen's door, smiling with excitement. Despite the jet-lag, she was looking forward to seeing her boyfriend again. She hadn't told him she was coming, had wanted it to be a surprise, but her smile faltered as no-one answered the door. Knocking again, she bounced slightly with impatience. Finally, the door opened, but it wasn't at all who Alison expected.

"Hello," said the red-eyed, sniffling girl on the other side of the door. "Can I help you?"

"Umm," said Alison, "Does Stephen Hart still live here?"

"Yes," replied the girl. "Why?"

"I'm Alison," she answered. Seeing just a blank face, she tried again. "His girlfriend?"

The girl's eyes widened slightly. "Girlfriend?" she muttered. "Are you sure?" she asked Alison.

Alison snorted. "Um, yeah. At least, we haven't officially broken up as far as I know."

"Hmm." The girl frowned as she thought, then suddenly stuck her hand out. "I'm Jo," she said, as Alison shook her hand. "I'm…Stephen's niece."

"Really?" said Alison. "He never mentioned you."

"I can't say he talks about you much either," Jo remarked, retrieving her hand and stuffing it into a pocket, before withdrawing a dirty, screwed up tissue and wiping her nose, sniffing as she did so.

"So," said Alison awkwardly, "Is Stephen in?"

Jo hesitated. "No," she said slowly. "He's… not been well. He's in hospital at the moment."

Alison was shocked. "In hospital? Well, is he ok? What's wrong with him? I need to see him. Which hospital?"

Jo frowned, answering Alison's questions one at a time. "Umm…yes, that's what I said…he's fine now, there was an … incident with a bug, and … it's London Hospital."

Alison rushed back to her car, waving goodbye hurriedly to Jo. Jo deliberated for a moment, then ran after her, closing the door of the apartment.

"Can I come with you?" Jo asked as Alison fumbled with her keys. Alison stopped for a moment.

"Umm, sure," she replied, startled.

"Thanks," said Jo as she hopped into the passenger seat. "You don't mind if I have a mint, do you? I'm not great in cars." She waited for Alison's shrug before digging her hand once again into the pocket of her baggy trousers and revealing a polo. "I've been sort of banned from his room until recently, cos 'risk of infection' and colds don't mix, apparently, but I'm sure it's fine now. He's very nearly better."

Alison glanced at the strange child next to her, her foot subconsciously pressing more heavily on the accelerator, as her mind conjured up images of Stephen, hurt, in pain, dying…no. She wouldn't let herself think like that. She wasn't naturally a clingy girlfriend, but being away from him for two years and hearing that he was injured brought all the concern in the world to the front of her mind, all of it aimed at Stephen.

They drove to the hospital in a tense silence, both worrying about Stephen, though in different ways. While Alison was concerned for his health, Jo wondered how she could tell Stephen that Alison thought she was his niece. She sighed. Fireworks were going to fly there.

When they reached the hospital, Jo confidently led the way, sniffing occasionally. Stephen was in a room on his own, and both Jo and Alison were relieved to see he was sitting up in bed, reading a book, looking well on the way to recovery.

Jo hurried to his side first, trying to get her story in his ear before Alison was in earshot, but too late.

"Alison? What are you doing here?" Stephen asked, spotting her behind Jo.

"I thought I would surprise you," she smiled, though the worry was plain in her eyes. "Your umm… niece, told me where you were."

While she was distracted with kissing Stephen's forehead and checking the bandage on his neck, Stephen mouthed his confusion at Jo.

_Niece_? he asked in his head. Jo nodded urgently, gesturing to try to persuade him to go along with it. Left with no choice, Stephen nodded his acceptance, then drew Alison in and kissed her firmly on the lips. Jo rolled her eyes in disgust and went to sit in the corner.

"How are you?" Alison asked worriedly. Stephen's firm grip descended on her arms, forcing her to sit down and stop fussing.

"I'm fine," Stephen said calmly, in reality feeling quite the opposite but determined not to let it show. "But," he added, "I could do with a cup of tea." He looked meaningfully at Alison and she stood up again.

"Of course! I'll be right back. I know how you like it," she smiled. She looked uncertainly at Jo. "Uh, Jo, would you like anything?"

"No, I'm good thanks," she replied, relaxed. Alison strode out of the room purposefully. Jo waited a moment. _Has she gone?_ she thought to Stephen. As soon as he nodded, she flew across the room and dumped herself beside him on the bed.

"What's the story?" Stephen hissed, resting his arm on her shoulders.

"I don't know," Jo replied. "I had enough trouble coming up with the niece thing. It's your turn now."

"Why did you say you were my niece? She's bound to ring up my brother and ask him."

Jo looked relieved for a moment. "Oh, good. I didn't think 'til afterwards that you might not have any siblings. And anyway, I had to be related to you, otherwise she would have thought it was really weird, a teenager living with a bloke when they weren't related. And saying I was your daughter would just have made it worse."

Stephen admitted that Jo had made the best of a bad job. No one, not even Cutter, understood the bond between Jo and himself. Since she had saved his life, they could hear each other's thoughts, and he was the only Human Jo trusted. The only Human she had ever trusted.

Alison's return startled Stephen out of his thoughts, Jo diving off the bed and onto the chair beside it before Alison saw.

"Here you go," she said, placing the polystyrene cup on the bedside table.

Jo stood up as she did so. "I think I might go and get some fresh air. Let you two catch up." Alison nodded, relieved that the strange, unnerving girl was leaving. In Jo's head, where only Stephen could hear, she said _good luck_, grinning as she left the room. Jo heard Stephen groan in reply, and Alison beginning the questions.

"So, why is she staying with you?"

Jo grinned to herself as she turned the corner, still listening to the exchange as it ran through Stephen's head. Suddenly, she bumped into a man.

"Excuse me," she muttered, before realising who it was. "Nick!"

The professor smiled at her. "I thought you weren't allowed in here at the moment. What with your…" he gestured to the tissue in her hand, "extremely infectious disease."

Jo snorted and rolled her eyes, and Nick smiled again at her relaxed attitude. "So," he asked, "is Stephen awake?"

Jo debated. "Yes," she said hesitantly.

Nick narrowed his eyes. "But…" he prompted.

Jo sighed. "Have you heard of Alison?" she asked.

"Is she back?" Nick asked in surprise.

"Yep," Jo replied. "I wouldn't go in there at the moment. They're being all smoochy and," she waved her arms, trying to find the right word, "gross."

Nick laughed, understanding Jo's feelings. She was jealous, as he had been when Jo attached herself so thoroughly to Stephen. Jealous of Stephen's sudden girlfriend. "What have you told her?" he asked. "You know, about…you."

Jo smiled. "I'm Stephen's niece. If we're not related then that would be weird, and this is going to be hard enough as it is. As far as both of us are concerned, we saw him first."

Nick's mouth twisted in a half-smile as his imagination threw up an image of Jo and Alison having a fight over Stephen, but then he shook his head as Jo looked at him questioningly. "I'd better go in there," he said, "work out some kind of plan for how we're going to deal with this."

Jo nodded in agreement. "Just don't ask James," she warned. "Lester," she prompted as Nick looked blank for a moment. "He'd probably say 'kill her and dump her body in the river'," she said as she walked down the corridor, away from Stephen's room.

**See? Longer! Told you so! Please review. I won't write any more if no-one reads it, and I don't know that unless you review! So, tell me if you want more!**


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